Police: Man shoots Xcel worker

A 68-year-old Pampa man was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault after police said he shot an Xcel Energy employee with a rifle after the worker disconnected electricity to his home.

Alfonso Albear remained at the Pampa Regional Medical Center on Wednesday evening after he was taken there for a medical issue unrelated to the shooting, authorities said.

Shortly before noon Tuesday, Pampa police responded to a shooting call in the 200 block of West Craven Avenue, Pampa officer Stormy McCullar said. When police arrived, an Xcel Energy employee told officers he had disconnected power to a nearby home and headed back to his vehicle when Albear, the homeowner, came out of the house and confronted him with a rifle, she said.

The employee said Albear ordered him to reconnect power to the home, which he did, McCullar said. The employee told police he walked onto Craven Street, heard a gunshot and realized he had been shot, she said. He told police he walked away from the house and called for help while Albear went back into the house, she said.

Pampa police entered the home after Albear refused to come out, authorities said. Officers arrested Albear, charging him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, McCullar said. Police also took a rifle from the home, she said.

Albear was convicted in 1972 of carrying a prohibited weapon, according to Department of Public Safety records.

The employee’s injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Xcel spokesman Wes Reeves said he did not know much about the employee.

Reeves would not confirm why the employee was shutting off Albear’s electricity because of privacy issues. If a customer is on the premises, nonpayment or an unsafe situation would prompt officials to turn off the power, he said.

Reeves said customers have threatened employees before but never to that extent. He deferred all other questions to the police department.

Attempts to reach Albear’s family and neighbors for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful.